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Synopsis Differences in total wing area and shape have long been emphasized in relation to flight and foraging performance in bats. Molossid have a high species richness in the northern portion of Argentina, with many of them coexisting in sympatry and occupying very similar trophic niches. We characterize the wing shape and size of a molossid bat assemblage of six species from the humid Chaco region of northeastern Argentina. Considering that wing shape and size are good indicators of ecological and behavioral traits, we analyze the morphological variation using geometric morphometric tools. Our results provide information on changes in wing membrane morphology that are useful for explaining aspects of species sympatry. The variation in wing membranes is related to aspects of maneuverability, which consequently affects foraging strategies and prey (insects) capture. Also, this study serves as an example of the importance of applying geometric morphometric techniques in ecomorphological approaches.

Phylogenetic analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial genome and qualitative and quantitative assessments of morphological variation suggest that, in its current conception, Thylamys pusillus (Desmarest, 1804) is a complex of at least three species. In the taxonomic arrangement proposed in this work, the populations in the Argentinean provinces of Entre Rios and Corrientes are here referred to T. citellus (Thomas, 1912), while the small Thylamys that lives in the Argentinean Dry Chaco are provisionally referred to T. pulchellus (Cabrera, 1934). In our scheme, Thylamys pusillus is restricted to the Bolivian and Paraguayan Chaco and the vicinities of northern Formosa province in Argentina. We provide emended diagnosis for T. citellus and T. pulchellus, together with detailed morphological descriptions and discuss their distinctiveness from other species of Thylamys. In addition, we included new distributional data.Original Abstract: El analisis filogenetico de un fragmento del genoma y el estudio cualitativo y cuantitativo de la morfologia externa y craneana sugiere que, en su actual acepcion, Thylamys pusillus (Desmarest, 1804) es un complejo de por lo menos tres especies. En el arreglo taxonomico propuesto en este trabajo, las poblaciones en las provincias argentinas de Entre Rios y Corrientes son referidas como T. citellus (Thomas, 1912), mientras que una forma pequena de Thylamys que habita en el Chaco Seco de Argentina es provisoriamente referida como T. pulchellus (Cabrera, 1934). En este esquema, la distribucion de Thylamys pusillus es restringida al Chaco de Bolivia, Paraguay y areas adyacentes de Argentina en el nordeste de la provincia de Formosa. Se proveen diagnosis enmendadas para T. citellus y T. pulchellus, conjuntamente con una detallada descripcion morfologica de ambas entidades y una discusion de las diferencias con otras especies de Thylamys. Por ultimo, se incluyen nuevos datos de distribucion.

Protein energy wasting (PEW) is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, especially in individuals receiving maintenance dialysis therapy. A multitude of factors can affect the nutritional and metabolic status of CKD patients requiring a combination of therapeutic maneuvers to prevent or reverse protein and energy depletion. These include optimizing dietary nutrient intake, appropriate treatment of metabolic disturbances such as metabolic acidosis, systemic inflammation, and hormonal deficiencies, and prescribing optimized dialytic regimens. In patients where oral dietary intake from regular meals cannot maintain adequate nutritional status, nutritional supplementation, administered orally, enterally, or parenterally, is shown to be effective in replenishing protein and energy stores. In clinical practice, the advantages of oral nutritional supplements include proven efficacy, safety, and compliance. Anabolic strategies such as anabolic steroids, growth hormone, and exercise, in combination with nutritional supplementation or alone, have been shown to improve protein stores and represent potential additional approaches for the treatment of PEW. Appetite stimulants, anti-inflammatory interventions, and newer anabolic agents are emerging as novel therapies. While numerous epidemiological data suggest that an improvement in biomarkers of nutritional status is associated with improved survival, there are no large randomized clinical trials that have tested the effectiveness of nutritional interventions on mortality and morbidity.

In a trial involving patients with recurrent kidney stones who received once-daily 12.5-mg, 25-mg, or 50-mg doses of hydrochlorothiazide or placebo, the incidence of stone recurrence was similar in all groups.

Fil: Alvarado Larios, Raquel Concepción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

This study sought understand how the 2014-2016 EVD Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak impacted the nutrition sector in Sierra Leone and use findings for improving nutrition responses during future outbreaks of this magnitude. This qualitative study was iterative and emergent. In-depth interviews (n = 42) were conducted over two phases by purposively sampling both key informants (n = 21; government stakeholders, management staff from United Nations (UN) agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGO)), as well as community informants (n = 21; EVD survivors, health workers, community leaders) until data saturation. Multiple analysts collaborated in a team-based coding approach to identify key themes using Dedoose software. Findings are presented as both quotations and tables/figures. The EVD outbreak effects and the related response strategies, especially movement restriction policies including 21-day quarantines, contributed to disruptions across the food value-chain in Sierra Leone. System-wide impacts were similar to those typically seen in large-scale disasters such as earthquakes. Participants described an array of direct and indirect effects on agricultural production and food storage and processing, as well as on distribution, transport, trade, and retailing. Secondary data were triangulated by interviews which described the aggregate negative effect of this outbreak on key pillars of food security, infant and young child feeding practices, and nutrition. During the humanitarian response, nutrition-specific interventions, including food assistance, were highly accepted, although sharing was reported. Despite EVD impacts across the entire food value-chain, nutrition-sensitive interventions were not central to the initial response as EVD containment and survival took priority. Culturally-appropriate social and behavior change communications were a critical response component for improving health, nutrition, and hygiene-related behaviors through community engagement. Infectious diseases such as EVD have far-reaching effects that impact health and nutrition through interrelated pathways. In Sierra Leone, the entire food value-chain was broken to the extent that the system-wide damage was on par with that typically resulting from large natural disasters. A food value-chain approach, at minimum, offers a foundational framework from which to position nutrition preparedness and response efforts for outbreaks in similar resource constrained settings.

BackgroundEbola Virus Disease (EVD) is a severe and often fatal illness that affects humans and has significant public health implications, including high mortality rates, strain on healthcare systems, and social and economic disruption. On 20 September 2022, Uganda declared an Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Sudan ebolavirus species. The neighboring countries of Uganda were classified by World Health Organization (WHO) as being at high risk of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease (SUDV) importation. The country of Rwanda implemented different sustainable strategies and activities to prepare and ensure a timely and effective response to SUDV outbreaks once it has arrived in the country. We aimed to highlight the sustainable strategies and activities implemented for SUDV preparedness and the subsequent lessons learnt in Rwanda.MethodsThis paper reviewed the documentation on activities implemented for SUDV preparedness, with a focus on lessons learned from different countries. The paper analyzed the common themes and highlighted the key components of EVD preparedness in Rwanda after declaration of SUDV outbreak in Uganda.ResultsThe key components of SUDV preparedness include its readiness assessment in Rwanda, effective coordination, collaboration and leadership mechanisms, enhancing the early detection and surveillance system, effective risk communication and community engagement, capacity building of healthcare providers on case management and infection prevention and control (IPC), and continual preparedness. These components were essential to ensure timely and effective preparation and response to SUDV related outbreaks.ConclusionA multi-sectoral approach involving all stakeholders was necessary to ensure timely and effective preparation and response. Continuous investment in preparedness, strengthening of health systems, and the review of preparedness components provided insights into the best practices for SUDV preparedness, which were essential to prevent future outbreaks and minimize their impact. This will inform other countries about the role of timely development of preparedness plans.

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Background We have previously shown that glycine increases fat‐free mass in chronic haemodialysis patients with features of malnutrition as compared with branched‐chain amino acids (BCAAs). This multicentre randomized double‐blind crossover study evaluates the impact of these amino acids on the gut barrier and microbiota. Methods Haemodialysis patients were included if they had plasma albumin <38 g/L or weight loss >5% of dry body weight, and daily dietary intakes <30 kcal/kg and <1 g protein/kg. They consumed glycine or BCAA (7 g twice daily) for 4 months and underwent a 1 month washout period, before crossover of supplementations. Faecal microbiota (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and immunoglobulin A (IgA), serum levels of cytokines, surrogate markers of intestinal permeability, appetite mediators, and endocannabinoids were obtained at the start and end of each supplementation. Supplementations were compared by multiple mixed linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex, month of supplementation (0 and 4 in each period), and period (Period 1: first 4 months; Period 2: last 4 months). Microbiota comparisons were performed using principal coordinate analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance, Shannon diversity index estimate and analysis of composition of microbiomes analysis, and Wilcoxon tests. Results We analysed 27 patients compliant to the supplementations. Multiple mixed linear regression models were significant only for interleukin‐6 (P = 0.002), glucagon‐like peptide 1 (P = 0.028), cholecystokinin (P = 0.021), and peptide YY (P = 0.002), but not for the other outcomes. The significant models did not show any impact of the type of supplementation (P < 0.05 in all models). Principal coordinate analysis and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (P = 0.0001) showed strong microbiota clustering by subject, but no effect of the amino acids. Bacterial alpha diversity and zero‐radius operational taxonomic unit richness remained stable, whatever the supplementation. Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (0.030; Q1–Q3 0.008–0.078 vs. 0.004; Q1–Q3 0.001–0.070) and Bifidobacterium dentium (0.0247; Q1–Q3 0.002–0.191 vs. 0.003; Q1–Q3 0.001–0.086) significantly decreased with the BCAA supplementation. Conclusions The BCAA and glycine supplementations had no impact on the serum levels of cytokines, appetite mediators, intestinal permeability, endocannabinoids, or faecal IgA. Overall faecal microbiota composition and microbial diversity did not change with the glycine or BCAA supplementation but decreased the abundance of L. paracasei and B. dentium.